Patentable/Patents/US-9722769
US-9722769

Equalizer

PublishedAugust 1, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

An equalizer includes a data sampler that samples input data and outputs a time-series data string according to the input data, an arithmetic circuit that multiplies a data string output before reference data in the data string output from the data sampler by a tap coefficient and forms the input data by an arithmetic operation of a multiplication result and an input signal, a tap coefficient calculation circuit that updates the tap coefficient based on a data string output before the reference data, and a determination circuit that receives the reference data and data output after the reference data in the data string and controls presence or absence of update of the tap coefficient performed by the tap coefficient calculation circuit.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. An equalizer including an input buffer that receives an input signal, a decision feedback equalizer including a data sampler and an error sampler, and a tap coefficient calculation circuit that receives a data output from the data sampler and an error output from the error sampler and adaptively calculates a tap coefficient in the decision feedback equalizer, the equalizer comprising: a filter circuit that receives data of a predetermined first symbol as reference data and data of a second symbol after the predetermined first symbol in the data output from the data sampler, wherein an update of the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit is determined according to a result of the filter circuit, and wherein the filter circuit performs an exclusive OR operation between the first symbol and the second symbol, and, when an operation result of the exclusive OR operation indicates coincidence, the filter circuit causes the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

An equalizer uses a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with a data sampler and error sampler to adaptively calculate a tap coefficient. A filter circuit receives a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol from the data sampler's output. The filter performs an XOR operation between the reference and subsequent symbols. If the XOR result indicates coincidence (both symbols are the same), the tap coefficient is updated. This update determination is based on the filter's XOR result. The equalizer includes an input buffer, and a tap coefficient calculation circuit receiving data and error outputs.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein the filter circuit receives an enable signal that disables updating of the tap coefficient in in the tap coefficient calculation circuit.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, which uses a filter circuit to decide tap coefficient updates based on an XOR comparison of a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol, further incorporates an enable signal. This enable signal can disable the tap coefficient calculation circuit from updating the tap coefficient, regardless of the XOR comparison result. This provides a mechanism to freeze or prevent adaptation under certain conditions.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein the filter circuit receives the reference data and data of a plurality of symbols after the predetermined symbol.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, which uses a filter circuit to decide tap coefficient updates based on a reference symbol, now receives data from multiple subsequent symbols following the reference symbol. Instead of just one, the filter now processes several symbols after the reference data to determine if an update to the tap coefficient is needed. This may improve adaptation by considering a wider window of data.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein the error sampler performs sampling based on an offset coefficient from the tap coefficient calculation circuit, and the filter circuit causes the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, now includes an error sampler that performs sampling based on an offset coefficient provided by the tap coefficient calculation circuit. Further, the filter circuit, which compares reference data and subsequent data to determine tap coefficient updates, now also updates this offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit, thus influencing the error sampling.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The equalizer according to claim 4 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive OR operation indicates coincidence, the filter circuit causes the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated, and the tap coefficient calculation circuit updates the offset coefficient based on the first symbol and the error output from the error sampler.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer, as described previously, updates its offset coefficient using a filter circuit. This filter circuit performs an XOR operation between a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol. If the XOR result indicates coincidence (both symbols are the same), the offset coefficient is updated. The tap coefficient calculation circuit then updates the offset coefficient further, based on the reference symbol and the error sampler output.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The equalizer according to claim 1 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive OR operation indicates non-coincidence, the filter circuit prohibits the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit from being updated.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer as described previously includes a filter circuit that compares reference and subsequent symbols using an XOR operation. Now, if the XOR result indicates non-coincidence (the symbols are different), the filter circuit prevents the tap coefficient calculation circuit from updating the tap coefficient. This means updates only happen if the symbols are identical, otherwise adaptation is halted.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. An equalizer including an input buffer that receives an input signal, a decision feedback equalizer including a data sampler and an error sampler, and a tap coefficient calculation circuit that receives a data output from the data sampler and an error output from the error sampler and adaptively calculates a tap coefficient in the decision feedback equalizer, the equalizer comprising: a filter circuit that receives data of a predetermined first symbol as reference data and data of a second symbol after the predetermined first symbol in the data output from the data sampler, wherein an update of the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit is determined according to a result of the filter circuit, and wherein the filter circuit performs an exclusive NOR operation between the first symbol and the second symbol, and, when an operation result of the exclusive NOR operation indicates non-coincidence, the filter circuit causes the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

An equalizer uses a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with a data sampler and error sampler to adaptively calculate a tap coefficient. A filter circuit receives a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol from the data sampler's output. The filter performs an XNOR operation between the reference and subsequent symbols. If the XNOR result indicates non-coincidence (both symbols are different), the tap coefficient is updated. This update determination is based on the filter's XNOR result. The equalizer includes an input buffer, and a tap coefficient calculation circuit receiving data and error outputs.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The equalizer according to claim 7 , wherein the filter circuit receives an enable signal that disables updating of the tap coefficient in in the tap coefficient calculation circuit.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, which uses a filter circuit to decide tap coefficient updates based on an XNOR comparison of a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol, further incorporates an enable signal. This enable signal can disable the tap coefficient calculation circuit from updating the tap coefficient, regardless of the XNOR comparison result. This provides a mechanism to freeze or prevent adaptation under certain conditions.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The equalizer according to claim 7 , wherein the filter circuit receives the reference data and data of a plurality of symbols after the predetermined symbol.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, which uses a filter circuit to decide tap coefficient updates based on a reference symbol, now receives data from multiple subsequent symbols following the reference symbol. Instead of just one, the filter now processes several symbols after the reference data to determine if an update to the tap coefficient is needed. This may improve adaptation by considering a wider window of data.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The equalizer according to claim 7 , wherein the error sampler performs sampling based on an offset coefficient from the tap coefficient calculation circuit, and the filter circuit causes the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer described previously, now includes an error sampler that performs sampling based on an offset coefficient provided by the tap coefficient calculation circuit. Further, the filter circuit, which compares reference data and subsequent data to determine tap coefficient updates, now also updates this offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit, thus influencing the error sampling.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The equalizer according to claim 10 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive NOR operation indicates non-coincidence, the filter circuit causes the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated, and the tap coefficient calculation circuit updates the offset coefficient based on the first symbol and the error output from the error sampler.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer, as described previously, updates its offset coefficient using a filter circuit. This filter circuit performs an XNOR operation between a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol. If the XNOR result indicates non-coincidence (both symbols are different), the offset coefficient is updated. The tap coefficient calculation circuit then updates the offset coefficient further, based on the reference symbol and the error sampler output.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. The equalizer according to claim 7 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive NOR operation indicates coincidence, the filter circuit prohibits the tap coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit from being updated.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer as described previously includes a filter circuit that compares reference and subsequent symbols using an XNOR operation. Now, if the XNOR result indicates coincidence (the symbols are the same), the filter circuit prevents the tap coefficient calculation circuit from updating the tap coefficient. This means updates only happen if the symbols are different, otherwise adaptation is halted.

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. An equalizer including an input buffer that receives an input signal, a decision feedback equalizer including a data sampler and an error sampler, and a tap coefficient calculation circuit that receives a data output from the data sampler and an error output from the error sampler and adaptively calculates a tap coefficient in the decision feedback equalizer, the equalizer comprising: a filter circuit that receives data of a predetermined first symbol as reference data and data of a second symbol after the predetermined first symbol in the data output from the data sampler, wherein the error sampler performs sampling based on an offset coefficient from the tap coefficient calculation circuit, wherein an update of the tap coefficient and an update of the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit are determined according to a result of the filter circuit based on the first symbol and the second symbol.

Plain English Translation

An equalizer includes a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) with a data sampler and error sampler. The error sampler uses an offset coefficient from a tap coefficient calculation circuit. A filter circuit receives a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol from the data sampler. Based on these symbols, the filter determines updates to both the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient within the tap coefficient calculation circuit. The equalizer adapts tap and offset coefficients simultaneously based on the filter output, influencing error sampling.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein the filter circuit performs an exclusive OR operation between the first symbol and the second symbol, and, when an operation result of the exclusive OR operation indicates coincidence, the filter circuit causes the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

In the equalizer described above, the filter circuit performs an XOR operation between the reference symbol and the subsequent symbol. If the result indicates coincidence (symbols are identical), the filter triggers updates to both the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient within the tap coefficient calculation circuit. This combined update helps to optimize the equalizer's performance.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein the filter circuit performs an exclusive NOR operation between the first symbol and the second symbol, and when an operation result of the exclusive NOR operation indicates non-coincidence, the filter circuit causes the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit to be updated.

Plain English Translation

In the equalizer described above, the filter circuit performs an XNOR operation between the reference symbol and the subsequent symbol. If the result indicates non-coincidence (symbols are different), the filter triggers updates to both the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient within the tap coefficient calculation circuit. This combined update helps to optimize the equalizer's performance.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein the filter circuit receives an enable signal that disables updating of the tap coefficient in in the tap coefficient calculation circuit.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer previously described, which updates tap and offset coefficients based on a filter circuit comparing reference and subsequent symbols, further incorporates an enable signal. This signal can disable updating of both the tap and offset coefficients in the tap coefficient calculation circuit, providing control over the adaptation process.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. The equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein the filter circuit receives the reference data and data of a plurality of symbols after the predetermined symbol.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer previously described, which updates tap and offset coefficients based on a reference symbol, receives data from multiple symbols following the reference symbol, rather than only one. The filter circuit then uses these symbols to decide on tap and offset coefficient updates. This may improve adaptation by considering a wider window of data.

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. The equalizer according to claim 13 , wherein the tap coefficient calculation circuit updates the offset coefficient based on the first symbol and the error output from the error sampler.

Plain English Translation

The equalizer that adapts tap and offset coefficients, updates the offset coefficient using the tap coefficient calculation circuit. This calculation uses the reference symbol and the error sampler's output. Thus, the reference data and the error value contribute to the offset coefficient adaptation.

Claim 19

Original Legal Text

19. The equalizer according to claim 14 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive OR operation indicates non-coincidence, the filter circuit prohibits the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit from being updated.

Plain English Translation

In the equalizer, the filter circuit uses an XOR operation between a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol. When the XOR result indicates non-coincidence (symbols are different), the filter prevents updating of both the tap coefficient and offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit. This restricts adaptation only to cases where the symbols are identical.

Claim 20

Original Legal Text

20. The equalizer according to claim 15 , wherein, when the operation result of the exclusive NOR operation indicates coincidence, the filter circuit prohibits the tap coefficient and the offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit from being updated.

Plain English Translation

In the equalizer, the filter circuit uses an XNOR operation between a reference symbol and a subsequent symbol. When the XNOR result indicates coincidence (symbols are identical), the filter prevents updating of both the tap coefficient and offset coefficient in the tap coefficient calculation circuit. This restricts adaptation only to cases where the symbols are different.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

February 17, 2016

Publication Date

August 1, 2017

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Equalizer